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It is my pleasure to introduce to my readers, Steve Khan. Not only is Steve one of the most generous, gentle souls, he is an incredible artist in all senses of the word.

“Steve Khan is a visual artist and a poet. He is originally from Vancouver, but has lived in many places across Canada. Although his diverse ethnic background allows him to ‘belong’ to many different boxes, he prefers to make his own new space.

He is a graduate with distinction from the joint Art and Art History Program at Sheridan College and the University of Toronto with a Minor in Women and Gender Studies. He has recently won the Canadian Art Foundation Award for community development in the arts, and a nomination for the 2010 Mississauga Arts Council Volunteer of the Year Award.”

MB: Tell us what type of artist you are.

SK: A relatively unknown one, but this interview will change that.

I draw things well, usually portraits. I have painted, sculpted, designed, and crafted art objects, but now also enjoy using text. My current work combines aesthetics with a particular medium to emphasize a concept. Even when words are conspicuously absent, they still influence what I make.

Side note: I have seen art change the world I live in, and still believe it can- so I’m quite romantic.

MB:What is your first memory of art?

SK: That’s tricky because my memory often fails me.

One of the first paintings I made in kindergarten hangs framed above my bed wherever I live. It uses the song ‘To sing a rainbow’ to illustrate a concert I sang very badly in when I was five. Myself, my sister, my mother and my kindergarten teacher are more important than everyone else, so we are much larger and in detail.

SK: A comfortable living would be nice, but I will settle for infamy and gallery representation. Till then, I am compelled to make things without financial gain.

Leslie Dick explained it with these words: “You are materializing- taking something from the inside and putting it out into the world, so you can be relieved of it.”

In terms of intent, I use humour to incite conversation, usually about something unspeakable, with the hope that once spoken out loud, it can change.

MB: What is your favourite medium to work with?

SK: Currently, words.

MB: What has been the most difficult part of your journey as an artist?

SK: Since I was taught say nothing when you have nothing nice to say: first, learning where I want to belong (as opposed to fit) in the art world. A close second is getting used to rejection. The hardest lesson is grasping John Baldessari’s overused quote that “Art comes out of failure”. I let go of making only the ‘right’ choices when I realized my mistakes teach me more.

It is hard to believe that eleven years ago today, what was supposed to be an ordinary September 11th turned out to be a date that everyone, all over the world, would never forget.

If you ask anyone old enough, each and every single person can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard about the tragic events that took place. I remember distinctly where I was when I found out. I was in grade 8 and it was during lunch when a few friends and I were sitting outside chatting. A friend had gone home for lunch and arrived back to school with the horrible news. At that point we were not sure what to make of the news as we could not grasp the severity of what actually took place. The bell rang and we proceeded to our next class. My teacher (who was in his first year of teaching) had to break the news to us in the most gentle way possible, without scaring us all and with the few facts he knew at that moment.

The 9/11 Collection from CMA’s Permanent Collection of children’s artwork

The world is a very different place than it was eleven years ago. There are so many tragic images that are seared into my mind from that day and what I choose to remember are the images of bravery, unity and pride. Today we remember and honour the fallen heroes and victims.

While the years go by, the memories of that day certainly do not fade.